Foldable toilet accessory

ABSTRACT

A foldable stool for improving bowel posture of a user includes a footrest platform, a first leg, and a second leg. The foldable stool is configurable into a plurality of positions including an opened position and a closed position. In the opened position, the first and second legs are arranged substantially perpendicular to the footrest platform, and the first platform member and the second platform members are arranged to form a footrest surface having a cutout profile to facility placement of the foldable stool adjacent to a toilet basin. In the closed position, the footrest platform is folded to form a cavity that houses the first and second legs.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority from and is a non-provisional application of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/972,476, entitled “TOILET ACCESSORY,” filed Mar. 31, 2014, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

Humans evolved to defecate more naturally from a squat position than from a sitting position. In a squat position, the anal canal is vertically aligned with the rectum so that passage resistance is minimized to ease the act of defecation. This allows evacuation to be more complete, efficient, and timely so that stool transit time can be reduced. The squatting defecation posture can also reduce the amount of time that stool toxins are in contact with the bowel wall.

However, with advent of modern toilets, sitting on a toilet seat has become the typical defecation posture in most developed countries. In the sitting position, pelvic musculature may cause the anal canal of a user to bend against the rectum. This bend can obstruct the passage of bowel contents. The sitting position, therefore, is not ideal for defecation, and may cause strain in the user while sitting on a toilet seat to defecate. Bowel movements may be incomplete, and successive movements can be difficult, irregular, and painful as stool hardens. Some common problems caused by the sitting defecation posture may include constipation, bloating, and discomfort. The increase in stool transit time also increases the risks associated with stool being in contact with the bowel wall for longer periods.

Several devices are available to adjust the defecation posture and position of a user utilizing a toilet. However, many of the devices available are bulky and difficult to store. Further, due to the size and bulkiness of these devices, they are not readily transportable with the user. Additionally, existing devices do not account for the differences in the size of users, or the differences in the dimensions of toilet facilities.

Embodiments of the invention address these and other problems, individually and collectively.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to some embodiments, a foldable stool for improving defecation posture of a user may include a footrest platform having a first platform member and a second platform member, a first support leg coupled to the first platform member; and a second support leg coupled to the second platform member. The foldable stool may be configurable into a plurality of positions including an opened position, a semi-closed position, and a closed position. In the opened position, the first and second support legs are arranged substantially perpendicular to the footrest platform, and the first platform member and the second platform member are arranged to form a footrest surface with a cutout profile to facilitate placement of the foldable stool adjacent to a toilet. In the semi-closed position, the first and second legs are folded against the footrest platform and arranged substantially parallel to the footrest platform. In the closed position, the first platform member and the second platform member are folded towards each other to form a cavity that houses the first and second support legs between the first platform member and a second platform member.

According to some embodiments, a foldable stool for improving defecation posture of a user may include a footrest platform, a first support leg, and a second support leg. The footrest platform may have a footrest surface extending between a first leg end and a second leg end, and a cutout profile to accommodate a portion of a toilet between the first leg end and the second leg end when the foldable stool is in an opened position. The footrest platform may also have a first leg hinge mechanism at the first leg end, a second leg hinge mechanism at the second leg end, and a platform hinge mechanism disposed in the midsection of the footrest platform between the first leg end and the second leg end to allow the first leg end to be folded towards the second leg end when the foldable stool is in a closed position. The first support leg is coupled to the first leg hinge mechanism, and the second support leg coupled to the second leg hinge mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a foldable stool in the opened position placed adjacent to a toilet, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates a foldable stool in the opened position without a toilet, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a foldable stool in the semi-closed position, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of a foldable stool in the semi-closed position, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a foldable stool in the closed position, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 6 illustrates a frontal view of a foldable stool in the closed position, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 7 illustrates a height adjustable foldable stool in the opened position placed adjacent to a toilet, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates a height adjustable foldable stool in the opened position without a toilet, according to some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a toilet accessory in the form of a foldable stool (may also be referred to as a footrest) for improving the defecation posture of a user while sitting on a toilet. The foldable stool can put a user sitting on a toilet in the proper squatting posture to allow for a more complete and healthier elimination and reduce straining during bowel movements. While in use, the foldable stool is designed to be placed adjacent to a toilet, and serves as a footrest to elevate a user's feet during bowel movements. By elevating the user's feet while sitting on the toilet, the user is effectively put into a squatting position for a better defecation posture and improved bowel alignment.

Although some toilet stools exist today, current designs do not allow the toilet stool to be easily folded up and stored away. Most existing toilet stools are designed to be permanently tucked next to the toilet base even when the toilet stool is not being used. Such designs are unsightly and can take up extra space. A user may not feel comfortable leaving the toilet stool out in plain sight. For example, if the toilet facility is being shared with other people such as other family members, friends, roommates, or coworkers in a company, the user may want to be able to easily store away the toilet stool after each use. Furthermore, in some instances, a user may want to transport the toilet stool, such as when the user is travelling or on vacation. Existing toilet stools can be difficult to transport due to the bulkiness and structure of their designs.

In contrast, the foldable stool according to various embodiments can be folded away for easy storage and/or transport. The foldable stool's ability to be easily folded onto itself provides a user with the option to convenient put the foldable stool away for storage after every use (e.g., to be placed on the side of the toilet or beneath a bathroom vanity), or to easily transport the foldable stool with the user while on the go. The foldable stool is designed such that it can be put away discreetly by collapsing and folding the components together, while still providing sufficient support and stability when in use. In some embodiments, the foldable stool may also have adjustable components to take into account differences in the sizes of users and/or toilet facilities. For example, in some embodiments, the foldable stool may have height adjustable legs to accommodate users with different leg lengths and/or toilets with different seat heights.

The foldable stool can be configured or folded into different positions to facilitate storage or transport of the foldable stool. In some embodiments, the foldable stool can be configurable into an opened position when the foldable stool is in use, and into a closed position when the foldable stool is to be stored or transported. In some embodiments, the foldable stool can also be configurable into a semi-closed position to achieve a lower profile (e.g., flatter) than the closed position, for example, to store the foldable stool in a narrow space such as under a vanity.

FIGS. 1-6 illustrate a foldable stool in various views, according to some embodiments. FIG. 1 illustrates a foldable stool in the opened position placed adjacent to a toilet. FIG. 2 illustrates a foldable stool in the opened position without a toilet. FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view from the bottom of a foldable stool in the semi-closed position. FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of a foldable stool in the semi-closed position. FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a foldable stool in the closed position. FIG. 6 illustrates a frontal view of a foldable stool in the closed position.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a foldable stool 10 according to some embodiments may include a footrest platform 20, a first support leg 50, and a second support leg 70. Footrest platform 20 provides a footrest surface 21 extending from one leg end 22 to another leg end 23 when the foldable stool 10 is in the opened position. Referring to FIG. 3, which illustrates a top view of the foldable stool in the opened position, the footrest surface 21 may have a cutout profile to facilitate placement of foldable stool 10 adjacent to the base of a toilet 90. The cutout portion 29 can be large enough to accommodate a portion of the base of a toilet between the first leg end 22 and the second leg end 23 when the foldable stool is set in the opened position. In other words, the cutout profile is designed to fit around a portion of the base of toilet 90. The cutout portion 29 can be in the form of a circular segment resulting in a curved or circular edge as shown. In some embodiments, the cutout portion 29 can take on other shapes such as square, rectangular, or other polygon shapes.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the first support leg 50 is coupled to leg end 22, and the second support leg 70 is coupled to leg end 23. In the opened position, the two support legs 50 and 70 can be arranged to be substantially vertical or perpendicular to footrest platform 20 (e.g., within AO degrees, within ±20 degrees, or within ±30 degrees of being perpendicular to footrest platform 20). The two support legs 50 and 70 provide support and stability for a user sitting on toilet 90. In some embodiments, support legs 50 and 70 may have a uniform height along their respective leg ends 22 and 23. In some embodiments, the frontal height 52 of support leg 50 can be different than the rear height 54 of support leg 50 (and similarly for support leg 70) to provide a tilt to footrest surface 21. For example, the frontal height 52 can be shorter than the rear height 54 to provide a forward tilt, or the frontal height 52 can be taller than the rear height 54 to provide a backward tilt. In some embodiments, the tile angle can be, for example, less than ±10 degrees, less than ±20 degrees, or less than ±30 degrees. Support legs 50 and 70 can have a base in the form of a single column that extends along the edge of their respective leg ends 22 and 23 as shown. In some embodiments, each support leg may have a base with multiple columns. For example, the base of each support leg can be separated into two columns such that there are four separate legs in contact with the floor.

Support legs 50 and 70 may include respective releasable locking mechanism 53 and 73 to secure the corresponding support leg in the opened position. The releasable locking mechanism 53 may be a latching mechanism to latch the corresponding support leg onto the footrest platform 20. For example, the latching mechanism can include a tab 55 that can extend through an opening 56 in the footrest platform 20 to lock the support leg into place when the foldable stool 10 is set in the opened position. The latching mechanism can be released by pushing down on tab 55 to unlatch the support leg from the footrest platform 20.

In some embodiments, the inner surface 24 of the footrest platform 20, which is the surface opposing the footrest surface 21, may have a lowered surface portion 31 in the midsection 30 of footrest platform 20 between leg ends 22 and 23. In other words, the inner surface 24 may have a drop in elevation in the midsection of footrest platform. The lowered surface portion 31 may have a sloped profile as shown, or may have a curved or L-shaped profile. The lowered surface portion 31 of inner surface 24 is designed to be lowered by a depth 35 sufficient to accommodate the width 57 of support leg 50 (and similarly for support leg 70) when the support leg is folded against the footrest platform 20. The footrest surface 21 may also have a corresponding lowered surface portion 32 to form a recessed region in the midsection of footrest platform 20 as shown, although some embodiments may lack such a lowered surface portion 32 on the footrest surface 21.

FIG. 4 illustrates the foldable stool 10 in a semi-closed position, according to some embodiments. In FIG. 4, the foldable stool 10 is viewed from the bottom to illustrate the back side of the foldable stool 10. The footrest platform 20 may include a leg hinge mechanism 27 disposed at the first leg end 22, and a leg hinge mechanism 28 disposed at the second leg end 23. Support leg 50 is coupled to leg hinge mechanism 27, and support leg 70 is coupled to leg hinge mechanism 28. Each leg hinge mechanism may include one or more hinges arranged on the inner surface 24 of the footrest platform 20 to allow each leg to be folded inwards against the inner surface 24 of footrest platform 20. In the semi-closed position, support legs 50 and 70 are folded against the footrest platform 20 to be substantially parallel to the footrest platform 20 as shown (e.g., within ±10 degrees, within ±20 degrees, or within ±30 degrees of being parallel to footrest platform 20). To set the foldable stool 10 in this semi-closed position, tab 75 which serves as the latching mechanism to secure support leg 70 onto the footrest platform 20 is released from the opening 76 of the footrest platform 20. Tab 55 for support leg 50 is similarly released from opening 56. In some embodiments, the foldable stool 10 may have the lowest height profile when configured in the semi-closed position, and thus the semi-closed position may be suitable for storing the foldable stool 10 in a narrow space such as a space under a cantilevered cabinet.

As mentioned above, the lowered surface portion 31 of the inner surface 24 is designed to be lowered by a depth 35 sufficient to accommodate the widths of support legs 50 and 70 when they are folded against the footrest platform 20. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, in some embodiments, depth 35 of the lowered surface portion 31 is designed to accommodate the width 57 of support leg 50 and the width 77 of support leg 70, and can be approximately equal to or greater than the width of the support leg (e.g., within +5%, +10%, or +15% of the width of the support leg). According to some embodiments, the width 37 of the footrest platform 20 can be greater than a sum of the height 52 of support leg 50, the width 57 of support leg 50, the height 72 of support leg 70, and the width 77 of support leg 70. These dimensional relationships allow the footrest platform 20 to be further folded at the midsection to configure the foldable stool 10 into the closed position. In the closed position, the folded footrest platform may form a cavity or housing that houses portions of support legs 50 and 70. To facilitate this folding of the footrest platform 20, a platform hinge mechanism 41 can be disposed in the midsection of the footrest platform 20. In some embodiments, the platform hinge mechanism 41 can be disposed on the inner surface 24 of the footrest platform 20 (e.g., at the lowered surface portion 31) such that the inner surface 24 of the footrest platform 20 can be folded towards itself.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the foldable stool 10 in a closed position, according to some embodiments. To set the foldable stool 10 into the closed position, the platform hinge mechanism 41 is engaged to bifurcate the footrest platform 20 into two platform members 38 and 39. In the closed position, the first platform member 38 and the second platform member 39 are folded towards each other to form a cavity 40 that houses the first and second support legs 50 and 70 between the first platform member 38 and the second platform member 39. Referring to FIG. 6, the depth 35 of the lowered surface portion 31 on each side is designed to be approximately equal to or slightly greater than the respective widths 57 and 77 of support legs 50 and 70 (e.g., within +5%, +10%, or +15% of the width). In some embodiments, setting the depth 35 of the lowered surface portion 31 to be approximately equal to the width of the corresponding support leg may provide the most compact configuration of the foldable stool 10 when the foldable stool 10 is folded into the closed position for storage or travelling.

In some embodiments, the foldable stool can be equipped with height adjustable support legs to accommodate users of different sizes or toilets with different seat heights. FIG. 7 illustrates a foldable stool 10 with height adjustable support legs set in an extended position and placed adjacent to a toilet 90, according to some embodiments. FIG. 8 illustrates a foldable stool 10 with height adjustable support legs set in an extended position without a toilet, according to some embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, each of the first and second support legs 50 and 70 may include a spring-loaded retention mechanism to allow the corresponding support leg to be set at one of a plurality of adjustable heights. The spring-loaded mechanism may include a slot and tab construction. For example, support leg 50 may include an upper support member 61 and a lower base member 62, and similarly, support leg 70 may include an upper support member 81 and a lower base member 82. Referring to support leg 70, upper support member 81 is hinged to leg end 23 of the footrest platform 20. The upper support member 81 may provide a guide-wall 83 with slots 84 (may also be referred to as openings) arranged at different heights. Each available height may have a set of one or more slots 84 associated with the particular height. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, guide-wall 83 is configured with two available heights, and each height is associated with a set of two slots. It should be understood that foldable stool 10 can be configured with additional number of available heights, and each height may be associated with a set of one or more slots or openings.

The lower base member 82 is equipped with a set of one or more spring-loaded tabs 85 arranged in a corresponding manner to engage with a set of one or more slots 84 associated with a particular height provided on the guide-wall 83 of upper support member 81. In the compressed state, each spring-loaded tab 85 can retract behind the guide-wall 83 of upper support member 81 to allow the lower base member 82 to slide up and down against the guide-wall 83. When the lower base member 82 is adjusted to one of the available heights, the set of one or more spring-loaded tabs 85 engages with the set of one or more slots 84 associated with the particular height on the guide-wall 83. Each slot 84 associated with the particular height allows the corresponding spring-loaded tab 85 to decompress into a relaxed state and protrude through slot 84 on the guide-wall 83. As a result, the lower base member 82 is held in place by retaining the spring-loaded tab 85 in the slot 84 on the guide-wall 83. To adjust the foldable stool to a different height, a user can push against and compress the spring-loaded tab 85 to allow the spring-loaded tab 85 to retract behind the guide-wall 83. This disengages the spring-loaded tab 85 from the slot 84 on the guide-wall 83 to allow the lower support member 82 to be slid up or down until the set of one or more spring-loaded tabs 85 engages with a set of one or more slots 84 associated with another height.

The foldable stool may be constructed from any of several plastics, or a similar lightweight rigid material. Various support ribs, bars, or similar structures may be present in both the footrest platform and the support legs to provide extra support and stability for the foldable stool while in use.

The above description is illustrative and is not restrictive. Many variations of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the disclosure. For example, although the support legs have been described as being able to be folded against the inner surface of the footrest platform, in some embodiments, the support legs can be folded in the other direction and be folded against the footrest surface. As another example, although the footrest platform has been described as having an inner surface that can be folded towards itself, in some embodiments, the footrest platform can be folded in the other direction such that it is the footrest surface that can be folded towards itself. Furthermore, although the components The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but instead should be determined with reference to the pending claims along with their full scope or equivalents.

One or more features from any embodiment may be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention.

A recitation of “a,” “an” or “the” is intended to mean “one or more” unless specifically indicated to the contrary.

All patents, patent applications, publications, and descriptions mentioned above are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes. None is admitted to be prior art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A foldable stool for improving defecation posture of a user, the foldable stool comprising: a footrest platform including a first platform member and a second platform member; a first support leg coupled to the first platform member; and a second support leg coupled to the second platform member, wherein the foldable stool is configurable into a plurality of positions including: an opened position in which the first and second support legs are arranged substantially perpendicular to the footrest platform, and the first platform member and the second platform member are arranged to form a footrest surface having a cutout profile to facilitate placement of the foldable stool adjacent to a toilet; a semi-closed position in which the first and second legs are folded against the footrest platform and arranged substantially parallel to the footrest platform; and a closed position in which the first platform member and the second platform member are folded towards each other to form a cavity that houses the first and second support legs between the first platform member and a second platform member.
 2. The foldable stool of claim 1, further comprising a platform hinge mechanism disposed in a midsection of the footrest platform.
 3. The foldable stool of claim 2, wherein the platform hinge mechanism is disposed on an inner surface of the footrest platform.
 4. The foldable stool of claim 2, wherein the footrest platform has a lowered surface portion in the midsection of the footrest platform.
 5. The foldable stool of claim 1, wherein the footrest platform has a width greater than a sum of a height of the first support leg, a width of the first support leg, a height of the second support leg, and a width of the second support leg.
 6. The foldable stool of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second support legs is height adjustable.
 7. The foldable stool of claim 6, wherein each of the first and second support legs includes a spring-loaded retention mechanism to set the corresponding support leg at one of a plurality of adjustable heights.
 8. The foldable stool of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second support legs includes a releasable locking mechanism to secure the corresponding support leg in the opened position.
 9. The foldable stool of claim 8, wherein the releasable locking mechanism includes a latching mechanism to latch the corresponding support leg onto the footrest platform.
 10. The foldable stool of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second support legs has a frontal height that is different than a rear height to provide a tilt to the footrest platform.
 11. A foldable stool for improving defecation posture of a user, the foldable stool comprising: a footrest platform including: a footrest surface extending between a first leg end and a second leg end of the footrest platform, and having a cutout profile to accommodate a portion of a toilet between the first leg end and the second leg end when the foldable stool is in an opened position; a first leg hinge mechanism at the first leg end; a second leg hinge mechanism at the second leg end; and a platform hinge mechanism disposed in a midsection of the footrest platform between the first leg end and the second leg end to allow the first leg end to be folded towards the second leg end when the foldable stool is in a closed position; a first support leg coupled to the first leg hinge mechanism; and a second support leg coupled to the second leg hinge mechanism.
 12. The foldable stool of claim 11, wherein an inner surface of the footrest platform opposing the footrest surface has a lowered surface portion in the midsection of the footrest platform between the first leg end and the second leg end.
 13. The foldable stool of claim 12, wherein the lowered surface portion is lowered to an depth that is greater than a width of the first or second support leg.
 14. The foldable stool of claim 12, wherein the platform hinge mechanism is disposed at the lowered surface portion.
 15. The foldable stool of claim 11, wherein a width of the footrest surface extending between the first leg end and the second leg end is greater a sum of a height of the first support leg, a width of the first support leg, a height of the second support leg; and, a width of the second support leg.
 16. The foldable stool of claim 11, wherein the first leg hinge mechanism and the second leg hinge mechanism allow the first support leg and the second support leg, respectively, to be folded towards the footrest platform.
 17. The foldable stool of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second support legs is a height adjustable leg.
 18. The foldable stool of claim 17, wherein the height adjustable leg includes a retention mechanism to set the corresponding support leg at one of a plurality of adjustable heights.
 19. The foldable stool of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second leg hinge mechanisms includes a releasable locking mechanism to secure the corresponding support leg in a substantially vertical position when the foldable stool is in the opened position.
 20. The foldable stool of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second support legs has a frontal height that is different than a rear height to provide a tilt to the footrest platform. 